Jim Shibley wrote:
Your 50mm would be OK to start with. Do a search on "nifty 50 lens". I did a 2 hour shoot yesterday with my Pentax 50mm.

Thank you I saw a great article with those keywords at:
http://improvephotography.com/30680/3-r … thing-buy/

That being said, should I now invest in a flash for that first boudoir shoot, to bounce light off the ceiling?
If so, what do you recommend?
I saw the Speedlite 430EXIII in John Greengo's video on Creativelive.com on the Canon starter class, so I was thinking of buying that one...?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Canon-Speedlite … Swu4BVn0PE

Connor Photography wrote:
This must be a trick question !!!

No it's not a trick question, I am just totally ignorant about photography
But I AM willing to learn!
Don't crucify me please *cringe*

Eye of the World wrote:
There is nothing special about nude photography that requires a different lens than you would use for clothed photography. I agree with the 50 mm being a good start, as it is an 80 mm equivalent on your Rebel. Much depends on how large a space you have to shoot in. If you are shooting full body length you need to have the ability to back up far enough to ideally use something in the 85-200 mm range (or crop frame equivalent). The 50 mm is essentially the same as an 85 mm would be on a full frame camera so it is fine as long as you have the space. You just need to do some testing to see if you can get full body shots in the space you have available. If the space is doable but tight it will be extra important to get the camera down to mid-body height and not shoot from eye level. If the space is too shallow to use the 50, then it will be even more critical to pose the subject in ways to avoid wide-angle distortion.

Thank you very much!  Great advice.
I'll stick with what I have then.

Yosh Studio wrote:

Yes I am clueless, but unfortunately, not as cute as Alicia

goofus  wrote:
I  think all your photos will come out flat as a pancake if you do that (bounce the flash off the ceiling)

So do I even use a flash at all?

Pixelator wrote:

So do I even use a flash at all?

I use a diffuser over my 430 EXII flash.

Jerry Nemeth wrote:
I use a diffuser over my 430 EXII flash.

Thanks. Something like this?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fotodiox-8-Octa … Sw44BYckxJ

Pixelator wrote:

Thanks. Something like this?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fotodiox-8-Octa … Sw44BYckxJ

I'm using this one.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Stofen-Omni-Bou … s=aid%3D22

Jerry Nemeth wrote:

I'm using this one.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Stofen-Omni-Bou … s=aid%3D22

Roger that, thanks for your help all.
I also had some good feedback on http://photocamel.com/forum/canon/22833 … ost2336663
So looks like I am going to stick with my Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM, and all l I need is to invest in is a Speedlite 430 EX II flash and a diffuser.
Thanks all!

Pixelator wrote:
Roger that, thanks for your help all.
I also had some good feedback on http://photocamel.com/forum/canon/22833 … ost2336663
So looks like I am going to stick with my Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM, and all l I need is to invest in is a Speedlite 430 EX II flash and a diffuser.
Thanks all!

You don't necessarily need the canon speed light. if you are going to be shooting inside the same area then going with a alienbee https://www.paulcbuff.com/alienbees.php would be a better investment. But if you need to go with a camera top flash you can save a bunch by getting a younuo http://yongnuousa.net/ or a neewer tt860 http://www.neewer.com/. I have been using neewer for sometime now and have had good luck. I use alienbees for studio work and they are awesome.
At one point I used the expensive lighting and found that it was a waist of money that there are as good cheaper alternatives.

Caitin Bre  wrote:
Considering that photography is mostly about lighting it would be a good idea to learn more about it. I read your blog and picked up on the fact that you like to drum for belly dancers. Did you pick up on how important the lighting was to how the dancer looked and the mood that was set?

Lens choice is important in many ways. What kind of lighting will you be shooting in? What kind of mood do you want to cast?
Not all fast lenses are good at there max aperture. They become better stopping them down and adding light to the set like flash. In nude photography capturing the skin tones correctly can be problematic with some lenses.
I find the nifty fifty is not the best choice for skin tones. The 40 mm is better but to really capture the best skin tones you need to work with lighting and a bit better quality glass.
Sure you can do a lot in post but if you don't have all the information upfront (in camera) you will have a lot more work to do.

Thank you Caitlin, very useful info.
Keep in mind I am totally new to photography.  I am a better drummer than photographer that is for damn sure.
Now I just had another post on another forum which said:

Even the 50 mm lens might be too long for a full-body shot because it will work something like an 85 mm on a full-frame camera. Don't get me wrong; 50 mm is a useful focal length for seated portraits or waist-up shots - or the one in your example above. And when you talk about the Canon 50 mm f/1.8, you must be careful to specify which of several models you mean. The earlier ones were definitely good enough optically, but they were poorly constructed and broke if you so much as looked at them wrong, hence their nickname "plastic fantastic." Canon was finally embarrassed into improving their build quality, but the price also went up on the newer-vintage lenses that hold up better. If bokeh is all that important, you might start with a Canon mm f/1.4 instead. They can be had for something like USD300 used.
My advice would be to pick something like a used Tamron 28-75 mm f/2.8 if you want to shoot with a single lens. Although the edge sharpness on this lens is not that great on a full-frame body, those sins will be hidden on a crop body and it should work just fine for you. If you want to go even cheaper, just use the Canon 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 "kit" lens you probably already have. It will work well enough for you to learn enough about both the technical and artistic sides to the point that your equipment is limiting you and you will want something better.

Which means I am back to square one as far as choosing my first lens for boudoir/nude photography, although I totally understand your point that lighting is more important than the lens I use.  But I am basically just trying to get off the ground here, with a lens I can start using right away and dive right into photography (hence this blog reaching out to experienced photographers.)

To answer your question:  I assume I will be shooting in apartment lighting (low lighting) since I have no professional lighting gear).  So now should I consider a 40mm lens instead of what I have?
I know photography is about so much more than the type of lens I choose, but my aim is to basically get a lens I can start off with right off the bat which won't be the wrong lens (I obviously don't want to start shooting nudes with a macro lens, right?)

And in regards to classes, I am already planning to take classes from Creativelive when I get paid this week (John Greggo, fundamentals of Photography, and Lindsey Adler, fine art nude photography).
Thank you all for your expertise.

Eye of the World wrote:
...You just need to do some testing ...

This. None of us knows anything about the space(s) you are shooting in (wall placement, window light, etc.), so none of us can accurately predict your lighting or lens needs. For example, I have ~14 foot ceilings. Bouncing a Canon Speedlite off the ceiling in my place will have very different effects on lighting a model on the floor compared to a room with 7 foot ceilings.

Don't buy anything, yet. Take photos (of yourself, if you have to) with the equipment you have. Decide what you like and don't like about those photos. Ask someone who knows something about shooting nudes how to fix or change the things you don't like. That way, you'll get better advice that pertains to your specific environment.

AgX wrote:

This. None of us knows anything about the space(s) you are shooting in (wall placement, window light, etc.), so none of us can accurately predict your lighting or lens needs. For example, I have ~14 foot ceilings. Bouncing a Canon Speedlite off the ceiling in my place will have very different effects on lighting a model on the floor compared to a room with 7 foot ceilings.

Don't buy anything, yet. Take photos (of yourself, if you have to) with the equipment you have. Decide what you like and don't like about those photos. Ask someone who knows something about shooting nudes how to fix or change the things you don't like. That way, you'll get better advice that pertains to your specific environment.

Thanks AgX that sounds like good advice, especially considering I am not a millionaire
I think I will just at least invest in an external flash and diffuser and start with the lens I have now...
I may just be overthinking all this.

Pixelator wrote:
Thank you Caitlin, very useful info.
Keep in mind I am totally new to photography.  I am a better drummer than photographer that is for damn sure.
Now I just had another post on another forum which said:

Even the 50 mm lens might be too long for a full-body shot because it will work something like an 85 mm on a full-frame camera. Don't get me wrong; 50 mm is a useful focal length for seated portraits or waist-up shots - or the one in your example above. And when you talk about the Canon 50 mm f/1.8, you must be careful to specify which of several models you mean. The earlier ones were definitely good enough optically, but they were poorly constructed and broke if you so much as looked at them wrong, hence their nickname "plastic fantastic." Canon was finally embarrassed into improving their build quality, but the price also went up on the newer-vintage lenses that hold up better. If bokeh is all that important, you might start with a Canon mm f/1.4 instead. They can be had for something like USD300 used.
My advice would be to pick something like a used Tamron 28-75 mm f/2.8 if you want to shoot with a single lens. Although the edge sharpness on this lens is not that great on a full-frame body, those sins will be hidden on a crop body and it should work just fine for you. If you want to go even cheaper, just use the Canon 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 "kit" lens you probably already have. It will work well enough for you to learn enough about both the technical and artistic sides to the point that your equipment is limiting you and you will want something better.

Which means I am back to square one as far as choosing my first lens for boudoir/nude photography, although I totally understand your point that lighting is more important than the lens I use.  But I am basically just trying to get off the ground here, with a lens I can start using right away and dive right into photography (hence this blog reaching out to experienced photographers.)

To answer your question:  I assume I will be shooting in apartment lighting (low lighting) since I have no professional lighting gear).  So now should I consider a 40mm lens instead of what I have?
I know photography is about so much more than the type of lens I choose, but my aim is to basically get a lens I can start off with right off the bat which won't be the wrong lens (I obviously don't want to start shooting nudes with a macro lens, right?)

And in regards to classes, I am already planning to take classes from Creativelive when I get paid this week (John Greggo, fundamentals of Photography, and Lindsey Adler, fine art nude photography).
Thank you all for your expertise.

You will find models are a bit more comfortable if your not right on top of them so a little room is better.
The 40 is better than the nifty 50. But the 18 to 55 that should have come with your t6 is not too shabby of a lens. You can spend a little on lighting and use your kit lens to learn.
For nude photography lighting in your apartment setting will prove most valuable. Once you get the hang of the lighting then you will know exactly which lenses you will want to upgrade to.
In your situation I would use the 18-55 kit lens and invest a little in lighting. You can get a basic continuous lighting set fairly cheaply to get started. something like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KR … _i=3347881

I have worked with many beginning photographers that use all kinds of home made contraptions on the cheap and the images were pretty good. You really do not need pro gear to get pro results. Just the willingness to learn will prove to be your best attribute.

Connor Photography wrote:
This must be a trick question !!!

Pixelator wrote:
No it's not a trick question, I am just totally ignorant about photography
But I AM willing to learn!
Don't crucify me please *cringe*

I always thought that "It's the carpenter, not the hammer....."   Camera, lens and etc are the tools.

It is hard to believe that a company would make a lens to specialize in shooting just naked women.  Your quest for a lens for Nude photography just threw me off.  Photography is about light and shadows. 

https://www.amazon.com/Light-Science-Ma … 9Q9JFQGS6W

Caitin Bre  wrote:

You will find models are a bit more comfortable if your not right on top of them so a little room is better.
The 40 is better than the nifty 50. But the 18 to 55 that should have come with your t6 is not too shabby of a lens. You can spend a little on lighting and use your kit lens to learn.
For nude photography lighting in your apartment setting will prove most valuable. Once you get the hang of the lighting then you will know exactly which lenses you will want to upgrade to.
In your situation I would use the 18-55 kit lens and invest a little in lighting. You can get a basic continuous lighting set fairly cheaply to get started. something like this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KR … _i=3347881

I have worked with many beginning photographers that use all kinds of home made contraptions on the cheap and the images were pretty good.

Thanks for that.  Unfortunately I bought the T6 on ebay as a body only so no 18-55 lens came with it.
So I'd either have to
1. return my current Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM ($109.45)  and get  an 18-55 kit lens ($100)- +10 profit
2.return my current Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM and get  a 40mm ($140) $30 loss
3. keep my current Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM  ($0)

I actually wouldn't mind shelling out an extra $30 if "you" think that would be better to start off with.

Thanks for the advice.

Pixelator wrote:
Thanks for that.  Unfortunately I bought the T6 on ebay as a body only so no 18-55 lens came with it.
So I'd either have to
1. return my current Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM ($109.45)  and get  an 18-55 kit lens ($100)- +10 profit
2.return my current Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM and get  a 40mm ($140) $30 loss
3. keep my current Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM  ($0)

I actually wouldn't mind shelling out an extra $30 if "you" think that would be better to start off with.

Thanks for the advice.

The 18-55 will give you more control. Make sure its a 2 version if you go that route. the 1 version wasn't that great.
But honestly with just beginning to learn your 50 will do just fine. Learn to use it. When you get to the point that you have outgrown it you will know and then invest more if it is something that you want to stick with.
I just worked with someone who used a iphone and some lamps. I was very impressed at the results. He knew what he was doing and knew what his equipment would produce based on his experience.
So don't worry to much about what you have, it is fully capable. Just shoot away and learn. save your money for when you are ready.

Darren Brade wrote:
I would suggest starting of using your 50mm and practise with that. The only drawback will depend on how big the space is you are shooting in, do you have enough room to step back and take a full body shot?

For lights, you could buy some cheap speedlights, but I'd recommend buying some studio lights. A bit more expensive, but you can build on it. I recently brought 2 Godox DE300. They are cheap (£69 GBP in the UK) and you can add wireless to them for a few pounds extra. The nice thing about Godox is they are cheap, powerful for most needs, and you can expand with their speedlights on the same wireless system.

The wear them out with lots of shooting :-)

This series was shot with a Godox AD600 as the front light, and the two rear rim lights were the Godox DE300, each fitted with a different coloured gel. These are straight from camera, no retouching.

(NSFW - Not safe for work)
https://fashionablymale.net/2016/12/25/ … -thoughts/

wow awesome...

desertartist wrote:
You really get informed about lighting. If you look at Vallejo's work, lighting, either created in the reference photos he worked from, live, or simulated in the painting process is a major factor in his style. Choice of lens is much, much less important.

Yea I realize that.  That's why I am going to take a photography class asap.

Risen Phoenix Photo wrote:
I really only shoot art nude. I use a Cannon 24 - 105 lens L series f4 lens . It gives me what I need in the studio and out on location.

Wow that lens is a bit out of my price range right now
Nice though.

My strobes are Bowen 500 watt .

Noah Russell wrote:
I suggest a large and impressive lens. Weather it's a black one or a white one it must be a mans lens, that is strong and manly like a man!

I shoot all my nudes with a truly valiant lens!

So a nude model walks into a bar and asks a photographer... "Why the long lens?"....

SARCASM of course.

Cheers,
Noah

Yea of all the posts here yours is the most original

Pixelator wrote:
I know this topic may already have been covered, but I have a question about the best lens to buy for nude photography.  Let me specify.
I know nothing of photography.  I do plan to take a basic photography class from CreativeLive.com (Fundamentals of Photography, John Greengo), then a nude photography class from the same website as well (Fine Art Nude Photograpohy, Lindsay Adler). 
But my main goal is to shoot nude photography (full body shots) indoor, and to use the images and photoshop them into fantasy images (Boris Vallejo style:  fantasy, sci-fi, special effects, etc.)  I may eventually shoot nudes outdoors too in natural conditions (forests, glades, waterfalls, etc...)
I have no professional equipment right now (lights, softboxes, etc...).
That being said, I know a lot of good photography depends on lighting, but what is the best (and least expensive, considering I am new at photography) starter lens for a Canon Rebel T6s?  I know different lenses are for different situations, but what is the best lens for general indoor full-body shots?
I currently have a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens.  Is this good for anything in regards to nude photography?

There's no answer for the question your asking. The genre is totally irrelevant.

There are a lot of things that will be answered once you take that class, and it may be smarter to start with that than the purchase.


The most important issue is the space needed for a full body shot. If you have unlimited space, you could back up as far as necessary to frame the shot correctly, even if you were using a telephoto lens.

On the other hand, if you stand close and shoot with a wide angle lens, the nature of perspective will give you a perception of distortion.


Generally you need to stand 7 feet away or more to avoid perspective distortion. So you should google a field of view calculator and look to see which focal length is right for the distance you have and an APS-C sensor.

Mikey McMichaels wrote:

There's no answer for the question your asking. The genre is totally irrelevant.

There are a lot of things that will be answered once you take that class, and it may be smarter to start with that than the purchase.


The most important issue is the space needed for a full body shot. If you have unlimited space, you could back up as far as necessary to frame the shot correctly, even if you were using a telephoto lens.

On the other hand, if you stand close and shoot with a wide angle lens, the nature of perspective will give you a perception of distortion.


Generally you need to stand 7 feet away or more to avoid perspective distortion. So you should google a field of view calculator and look to see which focal length is right for the distance you have and an APS-C sensor.

Pixelator wrote:

Thank you.  Fair enough I guess taking that class is my first step.  Thank you all for your expertise, I appreciate it!

Pixelator wrote:

Thank you.  Fair enough I guess taking that class is my first step.  Thank you all for your expertise, I appreciate it!

I shoot with an APS-C camera.  The lens that I mentioned works great on it.

Pixelator wrote:
...
That being said, should I now invest in a flash for that first boudoir shoot, to bounce light off the ceiling?
If so, what do you recommend?
I saw the Speedlite 430EXIII in John Greengo's video on Creativelive.com on the Canon starter class, so I was thinking of buying that one...?
...

Bounce off of a white wall or tape up a white sheet.  Here is a web site with lots of good advice:
http://neilvn.com/tangents/category/bou … otography/

I do all of my studio and boudoir work in manual mode. Buy a manual Yongnuo flash and buy one of these with the money that you save:

Photovision 24" One-Shot Digital Calibration Target with DVD, Collapsible Disc Exposure Aid for Digital Cameras
https://www.adorama.com/pvos24.html

Photovision 24" One Shot Digital Target
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/ … gital.html

Well over 1/2 half of my indoor work was shot with one or two flashes, off camera, with reflective umbrellas or soft boxes.

http://strobist.blogspot.com/
"Strobist is the world's most popular resource for photographers who want how to learn to use their flashes like a pro."